From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishblinkblink1 /blɪŋk/ ●●○ verb 1 [intransitive, transitive]HBH to shut and open your eyes quickly I blinked as I came out into the sunlight.2 [intransitive]SHINE if lights blink, they shine unsteadily or go on and off quickly The light on your answering machine is blinking.3 → not (even) blink4 → before you could blink5 → blink back/away tears→ See Verb table
Examples from the Corpus
blink• When I got in, the message light on my answering machine was blinking.• He went over to her and saw that her eyes were staring into the sun without blinking.• He blinked as he walked out into the bright sunshine.• Cranston tightened his lips, blinking his eyes furiously as he always did when the tears threatened to return.• The neon lights on the theater blinked red and blue.• Williams blinked repeatedly throughout the process, Groves said.• That is, the rabbit still blinks to the air puff but not to the tone.• Blood had begun to run into the corner of his eye and he blinked to try and clear his vision.• Paige blinked up at the furious male figure above her.blinkblink2 noun 1 → on the blink2 → in the blink of an eye3 [countable]HBH the action of quickly shutting and opening your eyesExamples from the Corpus
blink• In the corner of his eye Ezra saw the answer light, a blink in open water.• The mayor declared with nary a blink.• Every blink conforms to the causal laws of this physical movement.• Just a slow blink and a shuffling step backward.• I had read somewhere that all the greatest discoveries had been made in the blink of an eye.Origin blink1 (1500-1600) Middle Dutch blinken “to shine” 